In a stark update on the deteriorating condition of our planet, an international assembly of climate experts has reported that the Earth’s vital signs have declined to levels never before witnessed in human history. This critical state threatens the very fabric of life on our planet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unprecedented-scientific-consensus">Unprecedented scientific consensus</h2>



Led by William Ripple, a prominent figure from the Oregon State University <a href="https://www.forestry.oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">College of Forestry</a>, and Christopher Wolf, formerly associated with OSU, a team comprising 12 scientists has delivered a grim prognosis on Earth&#8217;s vital signs in their paper published in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/biosci/biad080" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BioScience</a>. 



Titled &#8220;The 2023 State of the climate report: Entering uncharted territory,&#8221; the study underscores that a staggering 20 out of 35 planetary vital signs used as barometers for climate health have hit record extremes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-on-the-brink">World on the brink</h2>



&#8220;Without decisive steps to address the fundamental issue of humanity&#8217;s overconsumption of the Earth&#8217;s resources, we are navigating towards the potential disintegration of natural and socioeconomic systems,&#8221; Wolf stated, painting a picture of a future marred by intolerable heat, food scarcity, and water shortages.



The authors highlight alarming data from 2023, pointing out that numerous records related to climate and Earth&#8217;s vital signs have been shattered &#8220;by enormous margins.&#8221; This includes unprecedented ocean temperatures, drastic reductions in sea ice, and an extraordinary Canadian wildfire season contributing to record levels of carbon dioxide emissions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-echoes-of-past-warnings">Echoes of past warnings</h2>



This report is not the first of its kind. It follows a significant &#8220;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-pushed-earth-to-code-red/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency</a>&#8221; published four years ago, where Ripple, alongside other collaborators, received support from over 15,000 scientists from 161 countries. 



Despite these earlier calls to action, little progress has been made, with Ripple emphasizing, &#8220;Life on our planet is unmistakably under assault.&#8221;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alarming-climate-health-statistics">Alarming climate health statistics</h2>



The report lays bare several shocking statistics that outline why Earth&#8217;s vital signs are at an all-time low.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-chief-fossil-fuel-era-must-end-for-humanitys-survival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fossil fuel</a> subsidies saw a staggering increase from $531 billion to over $1 trillion between 2021 and 2022, incentivizing harmful emissions. </li>



<li><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-amplify-risks-for-socially-vulnerable-populations-in-western-states/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wildfires</a> in Canada alone have already contributed more than 1 gigaton of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere in 2023, surpassing the nation&#8217;s total greenhouse gas emissions the previous year. </li>



<li>A concerning trend in global temperature rise, with 38 days already recorded where temperatures were more than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-to-1-5-degrees-celsius-would-save-billions-of-lives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1.5 degrees Celsius</a> above pre-industrial levels. </li>



<li>July experienced the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/july-was-earths-hottest-month-in-120000-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">highest average</a> Earth surface temperature on record, likely the most extreme in the last 100,000 years.</li>
</ul>



Wolf expressed deep concern, stating, &#8220;As scientists, the sudden escalation in the frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters is deeply unsettling.&#8221;



The study cautions that these disasters&#8217; frequency and intensity might even be accelerating faster than temperature rises. The paper forecasts a dire future, where 3 to 6 billion people will find themselves in uninhabitable conditions by the end of this century.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-vital-signs-need-transformative-policies">Earth&#8217;s vital signs need transformative policies</h2>



The scientific community is advocating for policies that address &#8220;ecological overshoot,&#8221; a scenario where humanity&#8217;s demands exceed the Earth&#8217;s capacity, resulting in numerous environmental crises, including a decline in biodiversity.



They argue that solutions focusing solely on carbon or climate will fall short of repairing Earth&#8217;s vital signs unless the overarching pressures on global systems are alleviated. As Ripple puts it, the scientific community has a &#8220;moral duty&#8221; to guide humanity away from potential existential threats and lead action-driven dialogues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-steering-towards-a-just-sustainable-future">Steering towards a just, sustainable future</h2>



The paper calls for a comprehensive overhaul of global economic practices. The authors of the study urge a transition that foregrounds human well-being, curtails excessive consumption, and drastically reduces affluent populations&#8217; emissions.



Key policy recommendations to reverse the decline of Earth&#8217;s vital signs include:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. </li>



<li>Encouraging shifts towards plant-based diets. </li>



<li>Amplifying efforts to protect global forest areas. </li>



<li>Establishing international treaties focused on eliminating coal and preventing new fossil fuel exploration.</li>
</ul>



The authors underscore the necessity for equity and social justice in all climate-related decisions. They clearly recognize the disproportionate impact of climate calamities on the world&#8217;s most impoverished populations, who have the smallest carbon footprints.



In a world where climate-related disasters are becoming the norm rather than the exception, this clarion call from the scientific community is more urgent than ever. It implores global leaders, decision-makers, and individuals alike to embark on a more sustainable path, with the understanding that the very future of life on Earth hinges on the actions humanity takes now.



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Life under siege: Earth’s vital signs reach an all-time low

Chimpanzees are showing us that culture isn't just about tools or survival. A new study at a sanctuary in Zambia has revealed something remarkable. Several chimpanzees began to copy each other by dangling blades of grass from their ears or behinds, for no clear reason. 



The unexpected behavior appeared only in certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-chimpanzee-mothers-raise-babies-more-successfully/">groups</a>, despite all living in similar environments.



“This shows that, like humans, other animals also copy seemingly pointless behaviors from one another,” said <a href="https://www.uu.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Utrecht University</a> researcher Edwin van Leeuwen. “And that, in turn, may offer insights into the evolutionary roots of human culture.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mimicking-others-without-clear-purpose">Mimicking others, without clear purpose</h2>



People often copy odd trends like shaving eyebrow lines or dressing their pets. These habits spread fast but serve no obvious function.



In animals, copying usually relates to survival. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-select-the-best-materials-for-termite-fishing/">Chimps</a> teach each other how to crack nuts or fish for termites. But sometimes, animals embrace habits that seem to lack any benefit. Orcas wearing dead salmon as hats is one recent example.



This study focuses on such non-functional behaviors, rarely explored in depth. Back in 2010, a chimpanzee named Julie at <a href="https://www.chimfunshiwildlife.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage</a> Trust started putting grass in her ear. Soon, seven others followed. Even after Julie’s death, her group kept the habit.



Researchers saw this as a cultural tradition, as it remained confined to her group and persisted over years. The behavior looked more like a fashion statement than a survival tactic.



Years later, another group at the same sanctuary began doing the same. They had no contact with Julie’s group, ruling out direct copying. Five out of eight chimps in the new group copied the grass-in-ear <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-curiosity-starts-young-and-helps-us-survive/">behavior</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chimpanzees-copying-an-odd-trend">Chimpanzees copying an odd trend</h2>



In an unexpected twist, the new group added a unique spin. Six chimps began inserting grass into their behinds, letting it dangle freely. Scientists named this “grass-in-rectum behavior.”



The researchers closely observed the spread of both habits. In August 2023, a chimp named Juma was the first to do both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-use-rhythmic-drumming-to-communicate-in-forests/">behaviors</a>. 



Within a week, four others copied the grass-in-ear trick. Within six weeks, five others copied the grass-in-rectum behavior. This happened without external prompting or visible irritation in their ears or behinds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evidence-of-social-learning">Evidence of social learning</h2>



The researchers analyzed how these behaviors spread within the groups. They used a statistical method called Network-Based Diffusion Analysis (NBDA).



The analysis showed that both behaviors spread mainly through social learning. In fact, over 80% of the chimps adopted them through copying others. Social ties strongly predicted who picked up the habits first.



Interestingly, even new chimps integrated into the group later copied the grass-in-ear habit within months.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chimpanzees-may-copy-humans">Chimpanzees may copy humans</h2>



The researchers also considered the role of humans. Both chimp groups with these behaviors shared the same caregivers. 



The caregivers sometimes cleaned their ears with grass or sticks. Other groups with different caregivers did not develop such habits.



“The chimps in the one group then figured out to stick the blade of grass in another place as well,” said Van Leeuwen.



In the wild, such trends are absent among chimpanzees. Captivity offers more free time and fewer survival pressures. That might explain why chimps experiment with odd habits there.



“Why they do exactly this particular thing, I’m not really concerned about. But them copying the behaviour from each other, that is the important insight,” noted Van Leeuwen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-human-culture">Lessons for human culture</h2>



Some scientists think humans evolved culturally because we copy tiny details, even useless ones. Animals supposedly cannot do this, yet the study suggests otherwise.



“Our study shows that chimpanzees are able to copy small, useless behaviors from each other,” said Jake Brooker from Durham University. “That is why we felt it was important to share these new observations.”



Van Leeuwen’s team noted that these behaviors may not be entirely useless. They might serve as social signals.



“It could also serve a social purpose. By copying someone else’s behavior, you show that you notice and maybe even like that individual. So, it might help strengthen social bonds and create a sense of belonging within the group, just like it does in humans,” said Van Leeuwen.



The researchers also suggest these behaviors may reflect a deep social drive. Young chimps often form alliances and bonds through mimicry. In this case, lower-ranking males copied higher-ranking ones, likely to gain approval.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chimps-may-copy-for-social-reasons">Chimps may copy for social reasons</h2>



Scientists propose that copying odd behaviors might help chimps integrate socially. Just like humans, they may copy group norms to build trust and reduce conflict.



One theory, the Zone of Proximal Acquisition, suggests that animals copy behaviors they can already physically perform but haven’t yet tried in that exact way. The grass behaviors fit this model well.



Another theory, the Zone of Bounded Surprisal, suggests animals are drawn to behaviors that surprise them yet feel familiar. Chimps already examine each other’s behinds frequently, making this behavior more noticeable and likely to spread.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chimps-have-complex-social-lives">Chimps have complex social lives</h2>



The findings challenge long-held views about animals’ cultural limits. Chimps show they can adopt unusual, non-functional behaviors through social learning. Whether these habits offer hidden social benefits remains to be seen.



Still, the very act of copying and passing down such behaviors highlights the complexity of animal cultures. It suggests that even seemingly pointless acts may hold value in the social lives of chimpanzees.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://brill.com/view/journals/beh/aop/article-10.1163-1568539X-bja10313/article-10.1163-1568539X-bja10313.xml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Behaviour</a>.



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Chimpanzees copy strange, useless trends just like humans do

Chimpanzees are showing us that culture isn't just about tools...

Walk into any drugstore or open TikTok - everywhere you look, skin care products are calling your name. They promise miracles - clear <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-skins-bacteria-could-be-a-natural-sunscreen/">skin</a>, no wrinkles, no acne. But how do you know what works, especially now, with summer heating up?



Here’s the problem. The more products there are, the harder it gets to make sense of it all. You try one cream, then another, but still don't know what to choose. Luckily, a new study cuts through the noise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ingredients-for-common-skin-problems">Ingredients for common skin problems</h2>



A research team at Northwestern University <a href="https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Feinberg School of Medicine</a> set out to clarify skin care confusion. 



They identified ingredients that dermatologists most often recommend for seven common skin concerns. The study helps bridge the gap between marketing claims and actual results.



The project was led by Dr. Murad Alam, an expert in dermatology at Northwestern. His research provides a much-needed foundation for consumers seeking trustworthy information. 



According to the study, one of the most highly recommended ingredients is <a href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/mineral-vs-chemical-sunscreen" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mineral sunscreen</a>. It shields skin from wrinkles, redness, and dryness. 



<a href="https://www.henryford.com/blog/2022/10/what-you-need-to-know-about-retinoids" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Retinoids</a>, derived from vitamin A, also earned strong endorsements. Dermatologists trust them to reduce acne, wrinkles, dark spots, large pores, and oily skin.



The full study lists ingredients matched to specific <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-tech-will-track-emotions-through-changes-in-our-skin/">skin</a> problems. These findings allow consumers to focus on what works best for their unique needs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-selecting-the-most-effective-ingredients">Selecting the most effective ingredients</h2>



This study isn’t based on guesses. It followed a method called <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/delphi-method.asp">Delphi consensus</a> - a fancy name for a simple process. Experts rate ingredients, talk about them, and then rate them again.



Dozens of dermatologists took part. They gave each ingredient a score from 1 to 9. Then they discussed the results. After a second round of scoring, only the top-rated ingredients stayed on the list.



“This is the first time experts have come together nationally to cut through the overwhelming number of skin care options,” said Dr. Alam. 



“We wanted to help both doctors and everyday users understand which ingredients are backed by the most expert support.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fewer-skin-care-products-work-best">Fewer skin care products work best</h2>



Many people assume that using more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vitamin-c-promotes-skin-renewal-and-anti-aging-at-the-genetic-level-dna-demethylation/">products</a> leads to better results - a cleanser here, a serum there, and a moisturizer on top. It seems like more effort should mean better skin.



Dr. Alam strongly disagrees. “Using too many products can irritate your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/teen-skin-bacteria-could-hold-the-secret-to-acne-prevention/">skin</a> and make things <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-plastics-chemical-bpa-linked-to-autism-adhd-in-children/">worse</a>,” he said. “It’s about knowing which ingredients are most effective for your specific concerns and are best for your routine.”



This matters, especially now, with social media hyping endless skin routines. Simplicity works best. Too many layers may backfire. Your skin doesn’t need a ten-step routine. It needs smart choices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skin-care-products-are-not-strictly-tested">Skin care products are not strictly tested</h2>



There's another reason this study is noteworthy: skincare products aren’t held to the same rigorous standards as medications. 



While drugs must pass strict testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, your favorite serum typically bypasses that level of scrutiny.



Dr. Alam noted that most cosmetic products lack scientific review. This study fills that gap. The purpose is simple - give people a clearer path to healthier skin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simplify-your-skin-care-routine-nbsp">Simplify your skin care routine&nbsp;</h2>



Summer has fully arrived, bringing longer, hotter days along with plenty of sun exposure. This season often leads to more sweating, increased oiliness, and various skin problems such as breakouts, redness, and dryness. 



It is a time when your skin needs extra care and protection, but that does not mean you need a complicated routine. This is the perfect moment to simplify how you take care of your skin. 



Dermatologists recommend focusing only on ingredients that are backed by strong research and expert agreement, such as mineral sunscreen and retinoids. These ingredients have been shown to work effectively for many skin concerns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stick-with-what-works">Stick with what works</h2>



It is easy to get distracted by every new product that appears in stores or on social media. However, constantly switching between trendy products can do more harm than good. 



Instead, stick with what works. Choose the ingredients that dermatologists trust. Be consistent with your routine and, over time, your skin will show improvements.



New products will continue to appear in beauty stores. Brands will keep releasing items that promise fast results. But now, you can make smarter choices by focusing on proven solutions instead of getting caught up in every trend.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(25)00612-7/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology</a>.



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These are the very best skin care ingredients, according to an in-depth national study

Walk into any drugstore or open TikTok - everywhere you...

Two small, sand‑colored nymphs of the seldom‑seen mayfly Behningia baei surfaced from the Mae Chaem River in northern Thailand during a December 2024 field survey. 



The find ends a 22‑year drought of sightings and puts the insect back on scientists’ maps after generations of silence in entomological records.



Until now the species, first described in 2006 from a site about 250 miles to the south, had vanished from every subsequent expedition. 



The rediscovery team was led by <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sedtawut-Kwanboon" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sedtawut Kwanboon</a> and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Boonsatien-Boonsoong" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boonsatien Boonsoong</a> of <a href="https://www.ku.ac.th/en/community-home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kasetsart University</a>, Bangkok.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-behningia-was-in-the-sand">Why Behningia was in the sand</h2>



Most <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/mayfly" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mayfly</a> work chases fluttering adults, yet the Thai team instead scuffed the riverbed with kick nets, stirring up juveniles hidden like grains of rice in the fine sediment. 



Burrowing youngsters cling to loose sand where sunlight and predators rarely reach, making them easier to sample than their airborne parents.



After hours of microscope work, every mandible, leg, and gill on the two specimens matched the 2006 description of B. baei. High‑resolution images confirmed the identity beyond doubt.



“These new data about the geographic and habitat distributions of behningiid mayflies helps to fill knowledge gaps and improves our ability to address conservation issues surrounding these rarely seen mayflies, not only in Thailand but also globally,” wrote Boonsatien Boonsoong. 



The quote hints at how a single rediscovery can redraw conservation priorities far beyond one stream.



The <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g790338-Mae_Chaem-Vacations.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mae Chaem site</a> sits about 1,350 feet above sea level and 250 miles north of the original locality in <a href="https://www.tourismthailand.org/Destinations/Provinces/Phitsanulok/112" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Phitsanulok Province</a>. That span suggests the insect occupies more rivers than anyone ever suspected.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sand-dwelling-mayflies">Sand‑dwelling mayflies</h2>



Mayflies move the energy stored in algae to fish, birds, and other animals. They achieve this by grazing as juveniles and then by becoming prey along nearly every link of the freshwater food web.



Because nymphs breathe through exposed gills, they suffocate in low‑oxygen or polluted streams, so biologists use their numbers as a living <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70195672" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water‑quality score</a>. 



Locating B. baei confirms that the Mae Chaem reach still carries clean, oxygen‑rich water over stable sand.



While every mayfly supports predators, sand‑burrowing families such as Behningiidae also churn and aerate the top inch of sediment. Their digging loosens grains and speeds nutrient exchange, turning them into tiny ecosystem engineers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-behningia-s-life-measured-in-hours">Behningia's life measured in hours</h2>



Mayflies belong to the order <a href="https://bugguide.net/node/view/78" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ephemeroptera</a>, a name that nods to adult lives frequently shorter than a single day. Most adult mayflies survive only 48–72 hours, with some species lasting barely ninety minutes.



The champion of brevity, the North American <a href="https://georgiabiodiversity.org/portal/profile?group=all&amp;es_id=21325" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dolania americana</a>, holds the record at under five minutes for adult females. Such fleeting adulthood explains why researchers almost never catch rarities like B. baei on the wing.



By focusing on juveniles, the Thai team sidestepped that scheduling nightmare. The method also avoids killing breeding adults, an ethical bonus when populations appear thin.



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-thought-extinct-for-85-years-reappears-in-himalayan-river-chel-snakehead/">rediscovery</a> underscores how insect timelines differ from human ambitions. Two decades to us equal perhaps twenty complete life cycles for B. baei, enough time for habitats to vanish or rebound.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-rediscovery-tells-conservationists">What the rediscovery tells conservationists</h2>



Thailand lists more than 300 mayfly species, yet only one other Behningia species, <a href="https://publication.plazi.org/GgServer/html/E47AD7D9ECE556F7863FE00403810630/3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Protobehningia merga</a>, was previously noted in the Mae Chaem basin. Finding both taxa in one river shows that fine‑sand beds remain a refuge worth guarding.



The study’s distribution map extends B. baei nearly 250 miles northward, hinting that tropical Behningiidae can tolerate cooler upland currents. That clue will guide future surveys toward similar sandy reaches.



River managers in Southeast Asia often focus on charismatic megafauna, but tiny <a href="https://www.macroinvertebrates.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">macroinvertebrate</a> indicators flag trouble years earlier. Adding routine kick‑net checks to water‑quality programs could save money and species alike.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-behningia-baei">What's next for Behningia baei</h2>



Kwanboon plans DNA bar‑coding of the two specimens to confirm there is no cryptic sibling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-may-have-three-million-undiscovered-animal-species/">species</a> hiding under the same name. He also hopes to sample neighboring tributaries before the next monsoon blankets sites in turbid runoff.



Meanwhile, the team is training local students to run simple kick‑net protocols so discoveries will not depend on brief visits by city scientists. Community observers could turn rare rediscoveries into routine data points.



Sand bars, often overlooked by conservation rules, shelter specialized <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-found-to-have-a-sixth-sense-gecko-hearing-vibrations-changing-science-view-of-sound/">animals</a> that vanish if substrates shift even a few inches. Keeping those substrates stable may prove as vital as controlling chemical pollutants.



For a creature that spends most of its life buried and the rest aloft on borrowed minutes, reappearing after two decades is indeed dramatic. Yet the authors treat it as the first chapter of a longer investigation, not the final page.



The study is published in <a href="https://checklist.pensoft.net/article/148597/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Check List</a>.



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Rare insect that was thought to be extinct for 20 years was rediscovered

Two small, sand‑colored nymphs of the seldom‑seen mayfly Behningia baei...

Wheat is a major part of our diet, especially in the form of bread. But not all wheat is the same - and the way in which it’s grown, processed, and baked affects the nutrients that are present in it.



Until now, the wheat industry has mostly focused on boosting yields, reducing inputs like fertilizers and pesticides, and ensuring good baking quality. 



What often gets overlooked, however, is that wheat can also be a valuable source of nutrients. In fact, it contributes over 20% to the global supply of fiber, minerals, and trace elements, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (<a href="https://www.fao.org/home/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FAO</a>).



But getting more nutrition out of wheat isn’t just about planting a different variety. It involves the entire chain - all the way from the field to the oven.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-bread-nutrition-the-basics">Understanding bread nutrition - the basics</h2>



Bread can be surprisingly diverse when it comes to nutrition. A slice of <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5310957/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">whole grain bread</a>, for instance, can pack a good amount of fiber, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vitamin-b-paradox-supplement-linked-to-heart-disease-risk/">B vitamins</a>, iron, magnesium, and complex carbs. These nutrients help regulate blood sugar, support digestion, and provide long-lasting energy. 



On the flip side, white bread - made from refined flour - loses much of that fiber and many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/micronutrient-deficiency-rates-are-soaring-worldwide/">micronutrients</a> during processing. Manufacturers often enrich it to add some of those nutrients back, but it still doesn’t match the nutritional punch of whole grain varieties.



The kind of bread you eat matters, but so does how much. Bread is a carb-heavy food, and while carbs aren't the enemy, overdoing them - especially if the bread is low in fiber - can spike your blood sugar and leave you hungrier sooner. 



If you're aiming for a more nutritious option, look for loaves with at least 3 grams of fiber and minimal added sugar. Bonus points for sprouted grains, seeds, or sourdough, which can improve digestion and nutrient absorption.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-characteristics-of-wheat-varieties">Characteristics of wheat varieties </h2>



Scientists at the <a href="https://www.uni-hohenheim.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Hohenheim</a> and the University Medical Center at the <a href="https://www.uni-mainz.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Mainz</a> teamed up with four wheat breeding companies to study how wheat’s nutritional value can be improved across the whole value chain.



Over five years, they recorded more than 6,000 traits across 282 wheat varieties and 400 breeding lines.



Dr. Friedrich Longin is director of the Wheat Department at the <a href="https://lsa.uni-hohenheim.de/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">State Plant Breeding Institute</a> and coordinator of the <a href="https://lsa.uni-hohenheim.de/en/betterwheat_en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Betterwheat project</a>.



“The unique thing about the project was the holistic view of variety characteristics along the entire value chain,” explained Dr. Longin.



“In addition to important characteristics for successful cultivation, several dozen processing characteristics for bakeries were considered, as well as important ingredients and proteins that could be important for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/proper-nutrition-in-the-first-1000-days-of-life-is-crucial/">human</a> nutrition.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-wheat-just-has-more-nutrients">Some wheat just has more nutrients</h2>



The wheat varieties were tested in different environments across Europe to measure how both breeding and growing conditions influence the traits of the wheat.



“This allows us to estimate the extent of the influence of breeding, but also that of the growing environment, on these many traits,” noted Dr. Johannes Schacht, senior wheat breeder at <a href="https://www.limagrain.com/en">Limagrain</a> GmbH.



One of the team's main goals was to understand how nutrient levels vary between wheat types. They tested about 800 wheat samples for 13 key minerals and trace elements like iron and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/calcium-zinc-are-keys-to-healthier-pregnancy/">zinc</a> - nutrients that are important for immunity, metabolism, and cell health.



“We were able to determine that the nutrient content in different wheat varieties varies greatly - and can fluctuate by up to 50%,” stated Dr. Longin.



“Our trials also show that the nutrients in wheat can be combined well with the required baking qualities in terms of breeding. These correlated positively with the protein content and dough properties.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-wheat-nutrient-content">Measuring wheat nutrient content</h2>



To apply this research practically, the scientists explored how to quickly measure nutrient content in wheat. 



One method, x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry, could be a game changer. It scans wheat with X-rays and, based on prior calibrations, provides fast, reliable nutrient readings.



“In order to use this knowledge in practice, xrf fluorescence spectrometry is a method that can be used to measure the nutrient content in wheat quickly and reliably,” explained Dr. Longin.



But using this technology widely would require investment. “This is only possible if the additional work is also paid for,” he added.



And there’s another catch: boosting wheat’s nutrition only makes a difference if people eat more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/refined-grains-increase-the-risk-of-heart-disease/">whole grains</a> or at least <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chocolate-with-less-sugar-still-tastes-great-with-a-secret-ingredient/">flours</a> with high type numbers (1050 and up). 



That’s because most nutrients are in the outer layers of the grain, which are lost in refined flours like types 405, 550, and 812.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bakers-make-wheat-digestible">Bakers make wheat digestible</h2>



Even if wheat is nutrient-rich, our bodies might not absorb those nutrients unless the bread is <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/freezing-bread-could-make-it-healthier/">baked</a> the right way.



“The healthy ingredients in wheat are bound in phytic acid. However, this acid cannot be digested and is excreted along with the beneficial nutrients,” said Dr. Longin.



So the researchers partnered with artisan bakers to test four common baking methods. One technique stood out: combining a long dough cycle with sourdough. 



“We found that the phytic acid is almost completely broken down during this baking process, making the ingredients available to the body,” he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-better-bread-starts-with-better-choices">Better bread starts with better choices</h2>



From field to bakery, everyone involved in wheat production can help improve the nutritional value of bread. But it starts with us.



“All partners in the wheat value chain can influence the nutritional content of bread,” said Dr. Longin. "However, clear priorities must be set: first of all, we consumers should eat more whole grains." 



"This should then be baked with a long leavening process, and only then does breeding and targeted grain trading make sense in order to further optimize the nutrient profile."



Wheat offers more than just <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-almonds-can-help-you-cut-calories/">calories</a>. With the right science, baking methods, and consumer choices, it can play a much bigger role in a healthy diet.



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Study reveals how to make wheat bread even healthier while also improving taste

Wheat is a major part of our diet, especially in...

Copper wires snake through every electric motor, power line, and rooftop solar panel on the planet. Demand for the metal is rising so fast that the International Energy Agency projects a 50 percent jump by 2040 in its net‑zero scenario.



A new study shows that some of Earth’s richest copper troves owe their existence not to ongoing subduction zones, but to the long‑lasting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-of-a-20-million-ton-copper-super-deposit/">chemical</a> aftershocks of a continental collision in southern Tibet.



The analysis includes contributions from Dr. Yongjun Lu of the School of Earth and Oceans at the <a href="https://www.uwa.edu.au/home">University of Western Australia</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-copper-demand-is-soaring">Copper demand is soaring</h2>



Copper’s unmatched ability to move electrons makes it the backbone of electric vehicles, heat pumps, and sprawling renewable‑energy grids. Two tons of copper may hide inside a utility‑scale wind turbine, while an electric car uses roughly three times more than a gasoline model.



More than half of the global resource sits in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-022-00440-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">porphyry copper deposit</a> clusters, gigantic ore bodies formed by mineral‑rich fluids rising from cooling magma. They are the workhorses of modern mining because a single district can run for decades.



Yet many prospective belts lie high in the Andes, Himalayas, or other remote ranges where exploration is costly and climate risks loom. 



Predicting which mountains hide <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amount-of-copper-needed-to-power-tech-and-develop-the-world-is-astonishing-not-enough/">ore</a> and which hide barren rock has become an urgent economic puzzle.



Exploration teams scour trace‑element maps, but ore‑forming magmas can emerge tens of millions of years after an oceanic plate vanished. The Tibetan discovery uncovers why that delay happens, and how to spot it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-collision-sparked-copper-deposits">Ancient collision sparked copper deposits</h2>



The <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adx4474" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gangdese Belt</a> in southern Tibet holds more than 45 million tons of copper spread across <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/miocene" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miocene‑age</a> porphyries. 



Those deposits erupted between 18 and 13 million years ago, long after the Neo‑Tethys seafloor slid beneath Asia and broke off.



Researchers sampled igneous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geologists-discover-the-largest-copper-gold-and-silver-deposit-in-the-last-three-decades/">rocks</a> spanning the entire subduction‑collision cycle. They grouped them into precollisional, syncollisional, and postcollisional suites, then tracked how each generation changed.



Both <a href="https://www.scandium.org/scandium-and-vanadium-similarities-and-differences/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vanadium‑to‑scandium ratios</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016703724000486" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">zircon oxygen‑fugacity</a> indicators spiked in the post‑collision magmas. 



That jump signaled a surge of oxidized material, exactly what copper needs to stay dissolved until the magma reaches the shallow crust.



“This finding challenges the notion that only oceanic subduction introduces such oxidants into the mantle,” explained Dr. Lu.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-copper-s-rocky-origin">Tracking copper’s rocky origin</h2>



To figure out where the extra oxygen came from, the researchers looked at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-of-the-worlds-largest-copper-gold-and-silver-deposits-discovered-at-very-high-altitude/">chemical</a> fingerprints left behind in the rocks. 



They studied <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/mercury-isotopes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mercury isotopes</a>, which hold onto their unique signature even after going through intense heat and pressure. In the post-collision rocks, that signature pointed to surface sediments, not deep mantle sources.



The team also examined magnesium isotopes in volcanic rocks called ultrapotassic lavas and found unusually light values. This kind of reading is a known sign of recycled carbonate material. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/copper-deposit-formation_magmatic-redox_illustration_credit-Science-Advances_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/copper-deposit-formation_magmatic-redox_illustration_credit-Science-Advances_1s.webp" alt="How copper deposits form. Evolution of magmatic redox from oceanic subduction to continental collision. Credit: Science Advances (2025)" class="wp-image-1977073"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">How copper deposits form. Evolution of magmatic redox from oceanic subduction to continental collision. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Science Advances (2025)</figcaption></figure>



Together, the results showed that sediments from the Indian plate had sunk deep underground and played a major role in creating the copper-rich magma.



Mercury‑isotope work on porphyry systems elsewhere has reached similar <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adp7383" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conclusions</a>, reinforcing the method as a global tracer of recycled surface material.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crustal-material-fuels-deposits">Crustal material fuels deposits</h2>



Carbonate layers from the Indian margin, rich in calcium and trapped CO2, rode the downgoing slab. At depths near 60 miles and temperatures above 1,600°F, those carbonates reacted with iron‑bearing mantle minerals. 



The redox exchange turned ferrous iron into ferric iron, pushing the <a href="https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Analytical_Chemistry/Supplemental_Modules_(Analytical_Chemistry)/Electrochemistry/Redox_Chemistry/Oxidation_States_(Oxidation_Numbers)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oxidation state</a> of the mantle wedge higher.



<a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781119473206.ch5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oxidized mantle melts</a> can carry sulfur as sulfate instead of sulfide. That subtle chemical switch lets copper remain in solution rather than being locked away in early sulfide droplets. When the melt stalls in the mid‑crust, pressure drops and fluids separate, precipitating copper sulfides that build an ore shell.



“Think of it as a second wind for copper‑forming magmas, even after the oceanic plate is gone, recycled crustal sediments can continue to fuel metal‑rich systems for millions of years,” said Lu.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-copper-from-ancient-collisions">Finding copper from ancient collisions</h2>



Most exploration models steer geologists toward active volcanic arcs. The new Tibetan evidence widens the hunting ground to include fossil arcs sitting above former collision zones. 



Provinces such as the Zagros in Iran or the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Lesser-Caucasus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lesser Caucasus</a> share similar histories of carbonate‑rich continental subduction.



“It changes the way we think about where and how to look for giant copper deposits and highlights the potential of post‑subduction settings, particularly those involving continent‑continent collision, as important frontiers for exploration,” noted Lu.



Mercury and magnesium isotope surveys no longer belong only in academic labs. They can flag hidden oxidized corridors before expensive drilling begins, saving both time and shareholder cash.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-it-means-for-clean-energy">What it means for clean energy</h2>



Copper supply already trails projected demand. Without fresh discoveries, shortages could slow grid upgrades or inflate the cost of electric cars. 



By demonstrating that continent‑continent collisions can keep ore‑forming magmas alive long after subduction halts, the Tibetan study offers practical hope.



Companies willing to brave high‑altitude logistics may unlock deposits that standard models overlook. Nations rich in orogenic belts gain leverage in critical‑minerals diplomacy, while resource-poor regions must double down on recycling and substitution.



The study shows that plate tectonics still shapes the economics of decarbonization, one oxidized magma batch at a time.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adp7383" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Scientists finally discover how giant copper deposits form around the world

Copper wires snake through every electric motor, power line, and...

Astronomers have recently added a new member to the small club of confirmed interstellar objects. The icy wanderer, known as 3I/Atlas, was officially recognized this week by the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center (MPC).



Observations showed it is racing through the solar system on a hyperbolic path - one that will carry it back into interstellar space after a brief celestial cameo.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-fuzzy-comet-with-incredible-speed">A fuzzy comet with incredible speed</h2>



Early images of 3I/Atlas revealed the hazy glow typical of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-anticipated-comet-of-2024-returns-this-weekend-after-80000-years/">comet</a>. “It looks kind of fuzzy,” said Peter Veres, an astronomer at the <a href="https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/">MPC</a> who helped confirm the object’s status. “It seems that there is some gas around it, and I think one or two telescopes reported a very short tail.”



That fuzzy halo is created as sunlight warms the comet’s surface, releasing dust and gas that trail behind it. Current estimates suggest the nucleus spans six to 12 miles (10 to 20 kilometers). 



Because icy bodies reflect sunlight efficiently, the true size may prove smaller if the surface is especially bright.



What is certain is the object’s speed. Preliminary calculations put its velocity at more than 60 km per second (roughly 135,000 mph). At that speed, solar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gravity-could-be-the-definitive-clue-that-the-universe-is-a-computer-storing-information/">gravity</a> cannot capture it, confirming its extrasolar origin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spotting-an-interstellar-traveler">Spotting an interstellar traveler</h2>



The discovery began on Tuesday when a telescope in Chile, operated as part of the NASA-funded <a href="https://atlas.fallingstar.com/">ATLAS survey</a>, recorded an unfamiliar, rapidly moving speck. 



Within hours, professional and amateur observers worldwide had combed archival data, tracing its motion back to at least June 14. 



The collected positions fit a hyperbolic orbit - unmistakable evidence the object is diving in from beyond the Sun’s gravitational reach.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/31-atlas_interstellar-comet_diagram_NASA_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/31-atlas_interstellar-comet_diagram_NASA_1s.webp" alt="This diagram shows the trajectory of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it passes through the solar system. It will make its closest approach to the Sun in October. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech" class="wp-image-1977069"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This diagram shows the trajectory of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it passes through the solar system. It will make its closest approach to the Sun in October. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech</figcaption></figure>



Richard Moissl, head of planetary defense at the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a>, emphasized that 3I/Atlas poses no danger. 



“It will fly deep through the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-announce-evidence-suggesting-that-our-solar-system-has-nine-planets-again/">solar system</a>, passing just inside the orbit of Mars,” he said, adding that the flyby comes nowhere near a collision with Earth or the Red Planet.



Calculations show the interstellar comet will reach perihelion, its closest point to the Sun, on 29 October, then fade as it speeds back into the darkness over the next few years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-interstellar-comets-differ">How interstellar comets differ</h2>



Unlike comets bound to the Sun, interstellar objects are born around distant stars. Jonathan McDowell of the <a href="https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/">Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics</a> explained the likely origin scenario.



“We think that probably these little ice balls get formed associated with star systems. And then as another star passes by, tugs on the ice ball, frees it out. It goes rogue, wanders through the galaxy, and now this one is just passing us,” he said.



In 2017, astronomers found the first known example, 1I/ʻOumuamua, whose odd shape and tumbling motion sparked contentious debate - including speculation it might be alien technology.



Two years later came 2I/Borisov, a more conventional comet with clear gas jets. 3I/Atlas now becomes the largest and fastest of the trio, offering scientists a fresh specimen to study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observations-of-a-fast-moving-comet">Observations of a fast-moving comet</h2>



The MPC initially labeled the body A11pl3Z, but the “3I” prefix signifies its confirmed interstellar status. As data pours in, researchers aim to refine its orbit, rotation rate, and composition. 



Scientists are particularly eager to learn whether its chemistry differs from solar system comets, which would provide clues about its natal environment.



Despite enthusiasm, a spacecraft intercept is beyond reach, since there is not enough time to plan, launch, and meet with an object moving this quickly and appearing on such short notice. 



Ground-based and space-based telescopes will therefore carry the observational load, capturing spectra and high-resolution imagery while the interstellar comet remains within range.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-interstellar-objects-may-be-common">Interstellar objects may be common</h2>



Mark Norris, an astronomer at the University of Central Lancashire, pointed out an intriguing statistic: modeling work suggests up to 10,000 interstellar objects could be drifting inside the solar system at any given moment - most of them too small or faint to detect.



The newly built <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/first-images-from-the-vera-c-rubin-observatory-are-breathtaking/">Vera C. Rubin Observatory</a> in Chile, scheduled to begin its wide-field survey soon, is expected to uncover many more. Such a flood of discoveries would transform the study of planetary system formation. 



Each passerby carries a chemical and physical record of processes that occurred around alien suns. They deliver natural “samples” at no cost other than the telescopic time required to study them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fly-by-science-in-action">Fly-by science in action</h2>



Scientists will watch 3I/Atlas brighten through the northern autumn, hoping for unobstructed views of its coma chemistry.



Spectrographs on large telescopes may reveal ratios of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and water vapor - benchmarks that help distinguish comets formed under different conditions. 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/-vzafaw0t08
</div></figure>



Photometric monitoring can nail down its spin. Careful astrometry will improve the orbit and may even hint at non-gravitational forces from asymmetric outgassing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-planetary-defense-capabilities">Improving planetary defense capabilities </h2>



Beyond pure science, each interstellar detection enhances planetary defense capabilities. 



Rapidly identifying an object’s orbit and assessing any hazard is a rehearsal for future surprises - though, happily, none of the known interstellar visitors have posed a threat.



For now, astronomers relish the serendipity. A cosmic snowball born around an unknown star has swung through humanity’s celestial neighborhood, offering a fleeting chance to study matter forged in a far-off corner of the galaxy. 



With upgraded surveys on the horizon, the odds of such encounters - and the insights they carry - are only set to increase.



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Interstellar object appears out of nowhere and stuns astronomers with its size and speed

Astronomers have recently added a new member to the small...

A 3,000‑ton stack of metal and superconducting cable is taking shape in southern France. Engineers say it will cage star‑hot plasma and tip the scales toward commercial fusion power.



The massive structure, formally called the pulsed superconducting magnet system, sits at the center of <a href="https://www.iter.org/machine/what-tokamak" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ITER’s tokamak reactor</a>. 



<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/karim-el-hamdani-7b5648151/?originalSubdomain=fr" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Karim El Hamdani</a> from the ITER Organization leads the team racing to finish the cold‑test facility before assembly deadlines tighten.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-size-matters-for-iter-fusion-energy">Size matters for ITER fusion energy</h2>



Fusion demands magnetic muscle. The <a href="https://www.ga.com/superconducting-magnets/iter-cs-fabrication" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">central solenoid</a> alone will stand 59 feet tall and weigh 1,000 tons, generating a 13‑tesla field strong enough to hoist an aircraft carrier. 



Add six ring‑shaped poloidal magnets and eighteen D‑shaped toroidal coils and the total reaches roughly 3,000 tons, holding plasma currents of 15 million amps.



ITER aims for a ten‑to‑one energy payoff, producing 500 megawatts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nuclear-fusion-milestone-brings-clean-energy-closer-to-reality/">fusion</a> heat from 50 megawatts of external power. That target, known as Q ≥ 10, would mark a leap beyond every device built so far.



Each module of the central solenoid took over two years to build and test. The sixth and final module, weighing 110 tons, was fabricated and validated by <a href="https://www.ga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">General Atomics</a> in Poway, California.



Final tests included helium leak checks, insulation integrity, cooldowns to 4.5 Kelvin, and electrical charging to 48,500 amps. Once all modules are stacked in France, they’ll form a column nearly 60 feet tall at the heart of the tokamak.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-it-tick">What makes it tick</h2>



Each coil uses miles of niobium‑tin or niobium‑titanium wire cooled to 4 Kelvin, about −452 °F, where <a href="https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainssuperconductivity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">superconducting</a> electrons move with zero resistance. 



Inside its own <a href="https://andor.oxinst.com/learning/view/article/what-is-a-cryostat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cryostat</a>, the new test facility will chill full‑scale coils and push up to 68,000 amps through them before they ever reach the reactor hall.



“We’ve gone from nothing to a design that is essentially finalized. This pace was possible because everybody stayed agile at ITER,” said El Hamdani. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/superconducting-magnet_ITER-constructions-site_ITER_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/superconducting-magnet_ITER-constructions-site_ITER_1s.webp" alt="Installation of the first superconducting magnet, Poloidal Field Coil #6, in the tokamak pit at the ITER construction site. The Central Solenoid will be mounted in the center after the vacuum vessel has been assembled. Credit: ITER Organization" class="wp-image-1977060"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Installation of the first superconducting magnet, Poloidal Field Coil #6, in the tokamak pit at the ITER construction site. The Central Solenoid will be mounted in the center after the vacuum vessel has been assembled. Click image to enlarge. Credit: ITER Organization</figcaption></figure>



All of ITER’s magnets must operate near absolute zero to achieve superconductivity. This means circulating liquid helium through 18 miles of cryolines to maintain a steady 4.5 Kelvin, or −452 °F.



India built the <a href="https://www.iter.org/mach/Cryostat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cryostat</a>, a 98‑foot‑wide stainless steel chamber that houses the entire reactor system. At 3,850 tons, it is the largest high‑vacuum pressure chamber ever constructed for a fusion device.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-power-before-plasma">Testing power before plasma</h2>



Engineers have already started validating ITER’s heating systems using a full-scale prototype called <a href="https://www.iter.org/node/20687/successful-round-tests-mitica" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MITICA</a>. 



Located in Padua, Italy, MITICA recently hit 710 kilovolts across its simulated acceleration stages, exceeding the 700-kilovolt goal set for ITER’s first campaign.



Even without the final beam source installed, MITICA’s electrostatic mock-up allowed teams to identify issues and refine shielding components. 



These early insights will help avoid problems during high-voltage neutral beam injection inside the main tokamak.



The window is narrow. Installation crews re‑purposed an old winding shop, upgraded its crane to lift 800‑ton loads, and ordered a 330‑ton cryostat built in parallel. 



Factory tests show the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/floating-solar-panels-could-power-every-home-in-the-u-s/">power</a> system is 95 percent complete, with quench‑detection software nearly finished.



Horizontal testing demands a custom in‑cryostat feeder to route helium and power. Delivery is expected within weeks. Commissioning of support lines and vacuum pumps begins this month, even before the cryostat arrives on site.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-iter-fusion-energy-and-earth-s-future">ITER fusion energy and Earth's future</h2>



Validation at −452 °F will shake out sensor glitches, coolant flow limits, and alignment tolerances measured in thousandths of an inch. Every problem solved in the test bay reduces risk when the same hardware slides into the reactor pit.



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/physicists-observe-a-new-form-of-magnetism-nil2-for-the-first-time/">magnets</a> must survive pulses lasting eight minutes and forces topping 22‑million pounds. Their success would clear one of the last engineering hurdles between experimental science and grid‑scale fusion plants.



Once stacked, the solenoid, poloidal, and toroidal coils become an electromagnetic cage surrounding fuel no heavier than a handful of hydrogen gas. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/superconducting-magnet_ITER-site-schematic_ITER_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/superconducting-magnet_ITER-site-schematic_ITER_1s.webp" alt="This is the ITER Tokamak Schematic. Credit: ITER Organization" class="wp-image-1977062"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This is the ITER Tokamak Schematic. Click image to enlarge. Credit: ITER Organization</figcaption></figure>



Heating systems will raise that fuel to 270 million °F, where <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/atomic-nuclei" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atomic nuclei</a> fuse and release torrents of energy.



If ITER meets its power target, it will supply data that private companies can fold into faster, cheaper reactors. Its members already share designs with startups through new tech‑transfer channels launched in 2024.



The magnet story also shows global cooperation still works. Components came from factories in the United States, China, Japan, Korea, Russia, and Europe, all machined to fit together within millimeters. 



Engineers on site say the pace has tightened their bond and sharpened methods that future plants will inherit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bringing-in-private-partners">Bringing in private partners</h2>



In 2024, ITER launched an initiative to share its data and designs with private fusion companies. The goal is to speed up commercial development by offering access to research, documentation, and supply chain knowledge.



A workshop in April 2025 brought together government and industry teams to identify ways to apply ITER’s advances in real-world <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chinas-artificial-sun-reactor-sets-new-record-for-fusion-power-generation/">reactors</a>. These partnerships are expected to lower costs, reduce risk, and shrink the timeline for bringing fusion power to the grid.



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This 3,000-ton magnet could change the future of energy forever

A 3,000‑ton stack of metal and superconducting cable is taking...

Everyone talks about mindfulness these days. People say it helps with stress, improves sleep, and makes life calmer. But here is a question: can meditation actually sharpen your focus? Turns out, it can.



A new study from the <a href="https://gero.usc.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology</a> reveals something surprising: just thirty days of guided mindfulness meditation can change how quickly and accurately people focus. Age does not seem to matter here.



This is not about feelings or guesswork. Researchers used eye tracking, a tool that shows exactly where your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mindfulness-meditation-is-a-powerful-weapon-against-chronic-pain/">attention</a> goes. 



“This study shows that mindfulness isn’t just about feeling more relaxed - it can literally change the way your brain handles attention,” said Andy Jeesu Kim, the study’s first author. “And that’s incredibly important for maintaining cognitive health as we age.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-focus-fades-with-age">Why focus fades with age</h2>



As people get older, their brains <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meditation-can-rapidly-reduce-ptsd-without-revisiting-trauma/">slow down</a>. They do not react as fast. Distractions take over easily.



This happens because of a brain system called the locus coeruleus–noradrenaline system. It controls attention, memory, and alertness - and it weakens with age.



Professor Mara Mather from the USC Leonard Davis School has studied this system for years. She found connections between its decline and early Alzheimer’s disease.



Earlier research hinted that mindfulness could strengthen this brain system. Meditation might boost areas that help with focus. But no one had tested this idea using precise eye-tracking methods - until now.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meditation-s-effect-on-focus">Meditation’s effect on focus</h2>



The researchers did not just ask people how mindful they felt. They watched their eyes when they recruited 69 people. Some were young adults. Others were middle-aged or older.



Half of the group practiced mindfulness meditation using the Headspace app. Just 10 to 15 minutes each day. The other half listened to an audiobook for the same amount of time.



Three times, participants visited the lab. They did visual tasks that measured how fast and accurately they could focus. Their eyes revealed everything. Every glance, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meditation-rewires-the-emotional-centers-of-the-brain/">distraction</a>, or quick decision.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-attention-improves-with-practice">Attention improves with practice</h2>



After a month of mindfulness meditation, something changed. People began reacting faster - their eyes moved directly to the right target, they ignored distractions more easily, and it didn’t matter how old they were.



“We expected older adults to benefit the most, but we found that mindfulness improved attention similarly across young, middle-aged, and older adults,” Kim said. “This suggests mindfulness can be a useful tool at any stage of life.”



Oddly, when the participants filled out mindfulness questionnaires, their answers did not change much. They did not <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-meditation-and-critical-thinking-matter-in-the-age-of-ai/">feel</a> different. Their brains, however, told a different story.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-second-test-backs-meditation">Second test backs meditation</h2>



The findings did not end there. Another study backed them up. Once again, participants practiced mindfulness meditation using Headspace for 30 days. 



The researchers tracked their eye movements while they performed attention tasks, examining both proactive focus and reactive responses. Reaction times improved again. People’s eyes became quicker - regardless of age.



However, not every gain came from meditation. Some improvements likely came from practicing the task itself. But meditation clearly sped up their visual attention.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meditation-works-quietly">Meditation works quietly</h2>



The second study confirmed something interesting. Meditation did not boost self-reported mindfulness. People did not feel much different.



But their eyes told a different tale. They reacted faster, spotted targets quicker, and showed subtle changes in focus.



This tells us something crucial. You might not notice the benefits of meditation right away. Yet your brain could already be working better in the background.



Both studies found that age did not limit the benefits. Young, middle-aged, or older, everyone improved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sharper-focus-for-daily-needs">Sharper focus for daily needs</h2>



People often think mindfulness is just about peace and calm. But these studies reveal something bigger.



Mindfulness can sharpen the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/action-observation-network-human-brain-perception-see-what-we-expect-to-see-mind-eye/">brain</a>’s attention. This affects everyday activities. Driving. Reading. Holding a conversation. Even crossing the street.



Sure, the audiobook group also improved a little. That is likely because they practiced the task more. But the meditation group improved faster and more clearly.



Mindfulness does not just make people feel calmer. It changes how the brain works with attention.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-on-meditation">Future research on meditation</h2>



The researchers are not done yet. They want to see what happens with longer mindfulness meditation programs. Could more time bring stronger results? They are also curious whether these quick gains stick around long term.



“We’re excited about the potential of digital mindfulness interventions to help people support their brain health,” Kim said. “It’s simple, low-cost, and widely accessible. The key is consistency.”



Mindfulness may seem small. Just a few minutes a day. But it is clear. It can quietly improve your brain’s focus, no matter your age. And all it takes is a little patience and practice.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.eneuro.org/content/early/2025/06/26/ENEURO.0356-23.2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eNeuro</a>.



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Mindfulness meditation can rewire your brain for sharper focus

Everyone talks about mindfulness these days. People say it helps...

If you've ever forgotten to water your plants for a couple of days, you probably noticed something interesting. The flowers droop quickly. The grass gets dry. But the trees? They’re fine. 



That’s because not all plants handle water the same way. Some use water freely, while others hold back, adjusting to dry conditions in very different ways.



Yet for years, many climate models haven’t taken those differences into account. They’ve relied on simple assumptions that treat every plant alike. That may soon change, thanks to new research that puts plant behavior into the equation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-model-gets-plant-upgrade">Climate model gets plant upgrade</h2>



Scientists from <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">UC Santa Barbara</a> and San Diego State University have built a better way to look at how soil dries out after rain. 



Their model shows that plants don’t follow a one-size-fits-all response to water stress. Instead, they behave in complex, adaptive ways - something the researchers say could help sharpen predictions about climate, weather, and water use.



Kelly Caylor, a professor at UCSB’s Bren School of Environmental Science &amp; Management, is the senior author of the study.



“We found that plants don't respond to water stress in a simple, straight-line way,” she said. “Instead, they have dynamic response patterns that reveal whether they're ‘water spenders’ or ‘water savers.’”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-rainwater-really-goes">Where rainwater really goes</h2>



After it rains, water goes in a few directions. Some of it runs off into rivers. Some seeps down into the ground. 



The rest goes back up into the air - either by evaporating or by moving through plants, which release water through their leaves in a process called transpiration. Together, these are known as <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/water-cycle/">evapotranspiration</a>.



How quickly soil dries out affects everything from crop growth to wildfire risk to weather forecasts. But until recently, scientists didn’t have good large-scale data on how this drying process worked. Instead, they built models based mostly on rainfall and streamflow.



“Ironically, most models do not use soil moisture data, although the soil moisture is a central component to hydrological behavior,” said lead author Ryoko Araki, a joint doctoral student at UCSB and SDSU.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-respond-in-unique-ways">Plants respond in unique ways</h2>



Until now, even the more advanced models made a big assumption: that all plants slow down their water use in the same way, at the same rate, under the same conditions.



“All plants - no matter young or old, summer or winter, tree or grass, small or large,” Araki said. But that assumption skips over a critical part of the picture. Different plants behave differently under <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-have-a-secret-weapon-for-surviving-stress/">stress</a>.



By ignoring that, the models miss out on useful clues. So Araki and her colleagues wondered - could a nonlinear model, one that accounts for more complex plant responses, offer better insights?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-smarter-way-to-model-moisture">A smarter way to model moisture</h2>



The team began with a standard, linear model based on time and moisture levels. Then they added a nonlinear factor that could reflect how plants adjust their water use as conditions change.



One thing that set this project apart was the data. The scientists used information from NASA’s SMAP satellite, which tracks <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-soil-moisture-can-predict-severe-storms/">soil moisture</a> across the globe using microwave sensors. That gave them a way to test their model against real-world conditions.



And it worked. The nonlinear model outperformed the two most widely used linear models. The older models tended to overestimate how fast soil dries out. That can lead to bad predictions—especially in regions where water supply is already tight.



Still, not everyone in the field is on board. Some researchers say the added complexity isn’t worth the trouble.



“Even though the nonlinear model is more complicated, it fits the data better, and it captures more of the system’s behaviors,” Araki said. “It provides a way to investigate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-plants-adapt-to-survive-a-changing-climate/">plant adaptations</a>.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-watching-plants-work-from-space">Watching plants work, from space</h2>



There’s no easy way to track how individual plants manage water stress. You can’t just walk into a forest and see whether a tree is slowing down its water use or pushing forward through dry soil.



“Do they keep growing as much as they can while they still have some amount of water, or do they just completely stop transpiring to prevent tissue damage?” said co-author Bryn Morgan, a former UCSB doctoral student who is now a postdoctoral fellow at MIT.



That’s why this model matters. It gives scientists a window into plant behavior on a massive scale. It also shows that there’s more going on beneath the surface - literally - than many models have accounted for.



For <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gardeners-can-make-small-changes-to-benefit-pollinators/">gardeners</a>, farmers, and anyone keeping an eye on climate trends, this kind of research could lead to better tools and smarter predictions. Because as it turns out, understanding how a tree survives a dry spell might help all of us prepare for what’s ahead.



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Not all plants handle water the same - here’s why it matters

If you've ever forgotten to water your plants for a...

A new 3D simulation tool is helping scientists better predict landslides, rockfalls, and avalanches in the Alps - a region with steep, unpredictable terrain packed with ice, snow, and rock. These conditions have long made hazard forecasting extremely difficult.



Scientists at <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html">ETH Zurich</a> and the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) have built a model that can better simulate how these massive natural movements unfold. And it just passed its first real-world test: the evacuation of the village of Brienz in 2023.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simulating-avalanches-in-3d">Simulating avalanches in 3D</h2>



Until recently, most simulations used to forecast mass movements relied on 2D, depth-averaged models. These methods estimate average flow direction, speed, and thickness. They’re fast and helpful for general risk estimates, but their usefulness declines in rugged, highly variable landscapes.



“While classical depth-averaged models are very useful for first-order estimates, many have difficulties when dealing with rugged, irregular terrain like that seen in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glacier-collapse-buried-a-village-in-the-swiss-alps/">Blatten</a>, where flow behavior is highly three-dimensional,” explained Professor Johan Gaume of ETH Zurich and SLF.



In 2022, he and his team published a paper outlining a new 3D avalanche model aimed at solving this problem. They accurately recreated several well-known disasters after the fact, including the 2017 Piz Cengalo rock-ice avalanche and the 1963 Vajont landslide.



But those were all simulations run after the events had happened. The real test would be to predict an event before it occurred.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-avalanche-prediction-proved-accurate">Avalanche prediction proved accurate</h2>



In spring 2023, the mountainside above Brienz began to shift. Authorities ordered an evacuation. Without tweaking their model or adjusting any parameters, the ETH and SLF team ran what they called "blind simulations."



They used surface movement data and conservative estimates from rock lab tests to gauge how much mass might fall and how it would move. 



“Our simulation predicted that the resulting avalanche would stop just tens of meters short of the first houses. These results were shared informally with cantonal authorities and ultimately matched the actual extent of the real landslide very closely,” Gaume said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-tougher-avalanche-simulation">A tougher avalanche simulation</h2>



In May 2025, a new risk appeared. This time, it was the village of Blatten. The hazard was even greater, involving a mix of rock, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-snow-complexity-can-improve-winter-safety/">snow</a>, and glacier ice from the Birch Glacier. 



Once again, the ETH and SLF team jumped into action. They weren’t officially commissioned and had no direct contact with authorities, but they saw an opportunity to test their avalanche model against a much more complex challenge.



“Given the dramatic situation in Blatten and the novelty of our modeling approach, we proceeded with great caution and subjected the model to a rigorous verification process to ensure its accuracy and reliability,” Gaume said.



They estimated that the falling mass could be around 10 million cubic meters - a mix of 3 to 5 million cubic meters of rock and 5 million cubic meters of glacier ice. That estimate later proved extremely accurate: a post-event analysis confirmed a total of 9.3 million cubic meters.



For the sliding friction, they used a coefficient of 0.2 - a cautious pick based on past events. Though later tests suggested 0.23 would have been even closer to the final outcome, the match between simulation and reality was striking.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3d-shows-avalanche-shockwaves">3D shows avalanche shockwaves</h2>



Most standard tools in hazard modeling assume the mass always stays in contact with the ground, sliding along the surface. But in Blatten, part of the avalanche flow shot into the air. That “airborne phase” created shockwaves and debris that flew over 100 meters above the terrain. The ETH-SLF model captured that too.



“In contrast, our 3D model allows particles to detach from the surface, reducing ground friction and accurately capturing airborne phases - this is critical for simulating flow behavior and runout in steep or complex terrain,” said Gaume.



The simulation showed a runout of 1.2 kilometers on the southwest valley wall and 700 meters on the northeast side. Those numbers almost exactly matched what actually happened. Most of Blatten was destroyed. Weissenried, nearby, was spared by a narrow margin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-the-tool-widely-usable">Making the tool widely usable</h2>



The ETH and SLF researchers are working to make their 3D tool for avalanches accessible to officials and engineers.



“Our aim is not to replace existing 2D tools, but to offer a complementary solution where classical models may reach their limits. We are actively working to make our model accessible and usable for practitioners and authorities,” says Gaume.



The team emphasized that their simulations were not officially part of the risk management process in Blatten. But the results speak for themselves. They show how much more accurate hazard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bridging-the-gap-the-quest-for-accurate-weather-forecasts/">forecasts</a> could become.



“We now have a reliable, ready-to-use tool that enables us to support the authorities with simulations assessing the potential consequences of impending mass movements,” said Gaume.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-respect-for-lives-and-limits">Respect for lives and limits</h2>



Gaume expressed his respect for the way local officials handled the crisis, praising authorities in the Lötschental and in Brienz for their exemplary management and expressing deep compassion for residents who lost their homes and belongings.



“Tragically, the glacier collapse also claimed one life, which reminds us of the very real human cost behind these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natural-disasters-are-on-the-rise-but-hazard-plans-are-inadequate/">natural disasters</a>,” he said.



Looking back, Gaume remembers feeling unsure of the predictions. “The initial results I obtained seemed rather unrealistic, particularly due to the significant upslope flow toward Weissenried."



"Had I had the opportunity to visit the site before running the simulation, I would likely have found these results even less plausible, given the elevation of the village relative to the Lonza," he said. "I therefore felt it was essential to discuss them with my colleagues before taking any more formal steps.”



With continued refinement and real-world testing, this new 3D model may help save lives and minimize damage in future avalanches. It marks a shift in how we understand and respond to complex alpine hazards -with more accuracy, humility, and responsibility.



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Breakthrough model will transform avalanche prediction

A new 3D simulation tool is helping scientists better predict...

Lakes are lifelines across the world - storing water, sheltering diverse wildlife, and supporting millions of people. But today, these vital ecosystems are facing a growing threat that could upend the balance they have long sustained.



Climate change is putting pressure on these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-shock-lakes-are-losing-oxygen-faster-than-expected/">water</a> bodies. Scientists want to know whether lakes rely more on rain or groundwater. This information can help protect lakes from water stress during droughts.



In a new study, researchers collected data from 350 lakes in 18 European countries. They studied how these lakes react to climate shifts.



The team presented their findings at the <a href="https://conf.goldschmidt.info/goldschmidt/2025/meetingapp.cgi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goldschmidt Conference</a> in Prague. Their results show why every drop of water counts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sources-of-lake-water">Sources of lake water</h2>



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.avcr.cz/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Czech Academy of Sciences</a> used hydrogen and oxygen isotopes, called 18O and 2H, to study the lakes.



The isotopes reveal how much water comes from rain and how much from underground <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lakes-are-warming-toward-the-point-of-no-return/">sources</a>. They also show how much water is lost through evaporation.



The researchers gathered data on weather, land use, and lake characteristics. They looked at temperature, rainfall, humidity, forests, farms, and even city areas near lakes.



The data was combined using machine learning, which allowed the experts to identify patterns and predict future risks for the lakes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-groundwater-provides-more-stability">Groundwater provides more stability</h2>



Lakes fed by groundwater proved to be more resilient, maintaining steady water levels even during dry spells. 



In contrast, shallow lakes were far more vulnerable. With their broad surfaces, they lose <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-oceans-are-rapidly-changing-colors-matching-climate-predictions/">water</a> rapidly through evaporation and have little ability to replenish it. 



The study warns that as temperatures continue to rise, these shallow lakes could face increasingly severe challenges.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lowland-lakes-face-high-risks">Lowland lakes face high risks</h2>



Lakes in lowland areas face greater danger. The study predicts that many of these lakes will face critical water loss by 2050.



Artificial lakes, like reservoirs, face the biggest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/underground-lake-capable-of-filling-three-and-a-half-olympic-swimming-pools/">risks</a>. They are often shallow and lack strong groundwater connections.



Many of these lakes also sit in farming regions. Fertilizers and other chemicals from farms often wash into them, harming water quality. This creates both pollution and water shortage risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mountain-lakes-are-more-stable">Mountain lakes are more stable</h2>



Lakes at high altitudes are currently more resilient. Cooler temperatures help lower evaporation rates. Groundwater connections in these lakes are often stronger.



High-altitude lakes also largely avoid pollution, at least for now. Most are far from intensive farming areas. However, that could change soon.



Farming is slowly expanding into higher areas. This could bring new pollution risks to mountain lakes in the future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-different-strategies-are-needed">Different strategies are needed</h2>



At the conference, Dr. Cristina Paule-Mercado from the <a href="https://www.avcr.cz/cs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Czech Academy of Sciences</a> explained the study results. She noted that her team initially expected the same controlling factors to apply across all lakes, but that wasn't the case. 



"While we can draw some general insights from the analysis, we also observed how each region has different dynamics driven by the interaction of multiple variables," said Dr. Paule-Mercado.



"This highlights the importance of considering all these factors - and particularly groundwater-lake connectivity - when designing sustainable management strategies to address climate change and water scarcity."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-lakes-from-water-stress">Protecting lakes from water stress</h2>



The study has not ended here. In fact, it has just started growing. The research team is expanding their work to include over 400 lakes across different regions.



The main goal is to build a global database of lakes and water systems. This database will help track changes and guide future water protection efforts.



The researchers draw on a wide range of data sources, including open-access databases that provide freely available information. They also conduct fieldwork, visiting lakes in person to collect fresh water samples for detailed analysis.



The project has grown into a truly collaborative effort. Scientists from around the world are now contributing, and local communities are playing an active role. 



Citizen science has also become a big part of the research, with residents living near the lakes helping to collect data and monitor water conditions firsthand. 



By combining all these efforts, the team hopes to protect lakes from water stress and improve management for communities worldwide.



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Why some lakes may disappear faster than others

Lakes are lifelines across the world - storing water, sheltering...

Yellow,Baltic,Amber,Stones,Among,The,Sand,And,Seashells,Close

A layer of fossilized resin, known as amber, sits in deep‑sea clay and has puzzled geologists for decades. New fieldwork in northern Japan now shows that a tsunami powerful enough to rip coastal forests from their roots hurled that resin into 11,000‑foot‑deep water during the age of the dinosaurs.



Aya Kubota of the <a href="https://www.gsj.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geological Survey of Japan</a>, and her team, traced the resinous material to a 115‑million‑year‑old horizon in Hokkaido’s Shimonakagawa Quarry, matching it to tsunami‑generated <a href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013AGUFMNH51D..01N/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">turbidites</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-the-tree-resin-trail">Tracing the tree resin trail</h2>



Tree resin oozes from bark, traps insects, and usually hardens on a forest floor. Geochemical clocks show that transformation from sticky resin to rock takes at least two million years, yet the Shimonakagawa specimens were still pliable when buried.



Modern tests confirm that resin exposed to air stiffens within about a week, while resin that hits <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0707949104" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water</a> can stay soft for much longer. 



That simple fact let the team work backward, proving that the resin reached the seabed almost immediately after leaving the trees.



“As resin exposed to the air hardens quickly in weeks, the flame deformation of the resin suggests that it reached <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/pelagic.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pelagic seafloors</a> without significant subaerial exposure,” wrote Kubota and colleagues. 



Those flame structures, familiar to sedimentologists who study load deformities, appear in the amber exactly where dense sand slumped beneath lighter resin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-a-tsunami-hypothesis">Testing a tsunami hypothesis</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/90-million-year-old-amber-reveals-antarcticas-secret-past/">Amber</a> occurs in thirty stacked beds within the quarry, some only two inches thick and others nearly nine feet, yet every layer sits above calm‑water clay. 



Storm waves cannot reach such depths, and river floods leave different grain patterns, so the researchers looked to colossal waves.



“Tsunami <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/650-foot-mega-tsunami-sends-seismic-waves-around-world-dickson-fjord-swot-mission/">deposits</a> are rarely recognized in the geological record, except for geologically young Holocene coastal deposits,” the team added. That scarcity makes each confirmed paleotsunami layer a treasure trove for hazard models.



The tallest tsunami measured in modern times reached <a href="https://www.wired.com/2009/07/dayintech-0709" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1,720 ft</a> (524 meters) in Alaska’s Lituya Bay in 1958. Even a smaller wave, crossing the ancient Northwest Pacific, could have torn out whole stands of conifer, rafted them far offshore, and dumped their resin as the water retreated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-locked-in-deep-sea-mud">Clues locked in deep‑sea mud</h2>



Besides <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parasitic-wasp-had-a-flytrap-for-snatching-its-victims/">amber</a>, the Japanese cores contain coffee‑table‑sized rip‑up clasts, broken driftwood more than four feet (1.2 meters) long, and tangled mats of leaves. Each item points to sudden, violent transport from land to abyss rather than slow settling.



Mud cracks on some clasts close upward, showing they dried in air before the wave plucked them from coastal flats. 



Microscopic study reveals intact pollen inside the resin, supporting the idea of a rapid ride that spared delicate grains from decay.



Soft‑sediment folds wrap around still‑elastic resin sheets, confirming that the tsunami‑<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mega-tsunamis-triggered-by-earthquakes-could-wipe-part-of-us-off-the-map/">triggered</a> slurry flowed over an already mobile seafloor. 



Those folds help explain why the amber sheets resemble squeezed taffy rather than neat droplets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tsunami-linked-to-massive-landslide">Tsunami linked to massive landslide</h2>



Hokkaido straddles four converging <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-only-has-six-continents-not-seven-tectonic-plates-under-iceland-study/">tectonic plates</a> today, and plate reconstructions indicate a similar geometry in the <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/the-cretaceous-period.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Early Cretaceous</a>. 



Kubota’s group links the tsunami to a massive landslide that detached a shallow‑marine carbonate platform some 125 miles (200 kilometers) south of the quarry.



Zircon dating of volcanic ash bracketing the amber shows the catastrophe struck between 116.8 million and 114.8 million years ago. 



That window overlaps an interval of heightened plate re‑organization as the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X22000814" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Izanagi‑Kula oceanic plate</a> subducted beneath eastern Asia.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/tsunami_swept_amber_tree-resin_forest-to-seabed_illustration_credit-GSJ_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/tsunami_swept_amber_tree-resin_forest-to-seabed_illustration_credit-GSJ_1s.webp" alt="Reconstruction of Early Cretaceous large-scale tsunamis which reached pelagic deep-sea bottoms from lands. (1) Outbreaks of earthquakes and tsunamis. (2) Destruction of extensive forests and seafloors by tsunamis and (3) Discharge of numerous fresh resin, plant debris and siliciclastic sediments into the ocean. (4) Direct and rapid transportation into deep sea bottoms by tsunami-induced turbidity currents. (5) Wood and resin drift and (6) late settling. (7) Repeated tsunamis during tectonic instability, and (8) its archives in pelagic strata. Credit: Geological Survey of Japan" class="wp-image-1976964"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reconstruction of Early Cretaceous large-scale tsunamis which reached pelagic deep-sea bottoms from lands. (1) Outbreaks of earthquakes and tsunamis. (2) Destruction of extensive forests and seafloors by tsunamis and (3) Discharge of numerous fresh resin, plant debris and siliciclastic sediments into the ocean. (4) Direct and rapid transportation into deep sea bottoms by tsunami-induced turbidity currents. (5) Wood and resin drift and (6) late settling. (7) Repeated tsunamis during tectonic instability, and (8) its archives in pelagic strata. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Geological Survey of Japan</figcaption></figure>



Comparable offshore evidence exists elsewhere, including sediment cores that record the 365 CE <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-09058-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Crete megatsunami</a> across the Mediterranean basin. 



Those parallels strengthen the idea that deep‑water archives can outlast coastal erosion and preserve tsunami fingerprints for tens of millions of years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-modern-coasts">Lessons for modern coasts</h2>



Today’s engineers map 500‑year floodplains but rarely factor in events of the magnitude inferred at Shimonakagawa. 



Kubota’s discovery shows that extreme waves can move entire forests and carve fresh sediment routes to the deep ocean.



By recognizing amber as a tsunami <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-detect-a-rare-slow-motion-earthquake-along-japans-tsunami-fault/">tracer</a>, scientists gain a fresh tool for spotting ancient coastal disasters on continental margins worldwide. 



Each new data point refines recurrence estimates and could, eventually, guide zoning in quake‑prone regions.



Forest‑derived carbon delivered to the abyss also hints at hidden climate feedbacks, because buried wood removes atmospheric CO₂ for geologic time. 



Understanding that sink requires knowing how often tsunamis act as high‑speed conveyors from land to sea.



Researchers now plan to scan other Cretaceous drill cores for thin orange films that might mark overlooked tsunami horizons. Success could turn a onetime curiosity into a standard indicator for ancient coastal risk.



Full details of the study are published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-96498-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Massive tsunami swept tree resin and amber from an inland forest out into the seabed

A layer of fossilized resin, known as amber, sits in...

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